Stake announced it has closed $8 million in new debt and equity financing following a year in which the company grew revenue fourfold in 2025. The announcement also follows Stake’s acquisition of Lighthouse and its subsidiary UMoveFree, the largest apartment locating platform in Texas.
The acquisition adds Cash Back apartment search capabilities to the Stake Network and expands the company’s platform designed to help renters identify savings when searching for housing. The strategic financing was led by LAGO, with equity participation from RET Ventures, Bluefield Capital, Hamilton Ventures, Gaingels, Hub Angels, and Second Century Ventures, the venture capital arm of the National Association of Realtors. The new capital will support Stake’s expansion in rental search and leasing services and fund additional acquisitions.
UMoveFree has supported more than 5 million renters in their apartment searches and delivered over $35 million in Cash Back to renters. The company’s proprietary leasing platform combines high-intent apartment search with concierge-level support from a team of apartment experts.
Through the acquisition, Stake said it has created what it describes as the first vertically integrated, AI-powered renter network built entirely for renters. The platform begins with apartment discovery and continues through lease signing, rent payments, lease renewals, and financial services aimed at improving renter financial outcomes. By combining Stake and UMoveFree capabilities, the company aims to help renters identify properties offering the greatest savings while strengthening long-term financial stability.
Proceeds from the financing will be used to integrate UMoveFree’s search and demand engine, expand Cash Back rental discovery into additional markets, and accelerate development across Stake’s renter savings platform.
The combined platform enables renters to discover Cash Back deals when searching for apartments, earn rewards on rent payments, build credit by having rent payments reported, and access no-fee banking services. Stake Checking provides renters with an FDIC-insured bank account that offers early paycheck access and rewards tied to rent payments.
Stake also offers services designed for property owners and managers. These include Loyalty Cloud, a performance dashboard for property partners, and Stake+, a platform that helps deliver targeted incentives such as concessions to prospective renters.
UMoveFree’s team and technology will become part of Stake’s Demand Generation services, which focus on renter acquisition, campaign strategy, and market expansion across Stake’s property network, representing more than 550,000 homes nationwide.
The acquisition also includes integrating Lighthouse, whose technology and mission will be absorbed into Stake’s search and onboarding experience. Lighthouse had previously acquired UMoveFree in 2023.
KEY QUOTES:
“You can search for a deal on a hotel. You can search for a deal on a flight. But until now, you couldn’t reliably search for a deal on rent. With UMoveFree powered by Stake Cash Back, we’re making affordability visible at the start. Now renters can find Cash Back offers when they’re deciding where to live, not after they’ve already signed.”
Rowland Hobbs, CEO And Co-Founder Of Stake
“Since 2004, UMoveFree has empowered renters by combining its online apartment marketplace with a hands-on, concierge approach provided by its in-house team of apartment experts. Now, with Stake, UMoveFree will expand its offerings into a full deal network—from search to savings.”
Mark Finney, Co-Founder Of UMoveFree And General Manager Of Texas At Stake
“We founded Lighthouse with a mission to empower renters, and we’ve found that same mission with Stake. Now we can expand that mission beyond search to paying, renewing, and even banking with Stake.”
Matt See, CEO Of Lighthouse
